1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and an image processing method capable of performing image processing in accordance with the direction of image data.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventional image processing apparatuses synthesize a plurality of image data by storing the image data in a hard magnetic disk unit (to be referred to as an xe2x80x9cHDxe2x80x9d hereinafter), synthesizing the data in an image processor, and outputting the synthesized data.
Also, a format (image data) which is often used is stored in, e.g., an HD or a magnetooptical disk, and image data obtained by reading an original and the stored format data are synthesized and output.
In the conventional image processing apparatuses, however, the direction of an original is not taken into consideration at all. Therefore, the user must take care to match the direction of an image to be synthesized with the direction of an image of an original.
For example, when a plurality of originals in both the portrait and landscape directions are to be output by separately synthesizing the portrait and landscape originals with portrait and landscape original formats, respectively, stored in a storage means, a user must sort the originals into the portrait and landscape ones and separately synthesize the portrait and landscape originals with their respective formats (synthesis image data). Additionally, if some originals do not point in the same direction, the user must set these originals in the same direction.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus solving the above problems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus capable of synthesizing a plurality of portrait and landscape originals with format images without sorting these originals.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an image processing apparatus capable of synthesizing an original with an appropriate format image regardless of whether the original is placed in the portrait direction or in the landscape direction.
The present invention has been made to achieve the above objects and has, for example, the following constitutions as means for achieving the objects.
An image processing apparatus of the present invention comprises storage means for prestoring a plurality of images, input means for inputting an image, discriminating means for discriminating a direction of the input image from the input means, selecting means for selecting one of the images stored in the storage means in accordance with the discrimination result from the discriminating means, and synthesizing means for synthesizing the input image from the input means and the image selected by the selecting means.
An image processing method of the present invention comprises the input step of inputting an image, the discrimination step of discriminating a direction of the image input in the input step, the selection step of selecting one of a plurality of images previously stored in storage means in accordance with the discrimination result in the discrimination step, and the synthesis step of synthesizing the image input in the input step and the image selected in the selection step.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.